Electric Light Orchestra- No Answer

No Answer

No Answer shouldn't expect a straight-ahead pop album in the manner of ELO's later releases. No Answer is further unique among their releases because ELO was then still a joint project of Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood. They split after collaborating on this album, with Lynne taking the reins afterward. Neither partner dominates this first record; each puts a distinctive stamp upon it. Wood provides much of the unusual sound of the album by personally playing everything from cello to oboe to guitar. Lynne's instrumental range was less but he contributed several of the album's more notable compositions.
First, let's talk about the unique sound: Lynne and Wood have said that their original intention was to take the next step beyond the Beatles' "I am the Walrus," and nowhere is this more evident than with this album. If you've ever listened to the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" album you'll recognize the unique ambience of songs like I am the Walrus, Blue Jay Way, and parts of Strawberry Fields Forever - all heavily infused with an unsentimental, rough cello sound, which in combination with pop guitars and unusual drumming created a strange, surreal, haunting effect.
That somber, unsettling sound is all over this record. A cut like "Queen of the Hours," for example, is quite easy to imagine on "Magical Mystery Tour," as is "10538 Overture." But No Answer has a less polished sound, more of a two-kids-fooling-around-in-the-basement feel to it, far afield from George Martin's (or Jeff Lynne's later) slick production. And much of this, of course, derives from the fact that Lynne and Wood were playing so many of the instruments themselves.
There are nine songs altogether on the record, five by Lynne and four by Wood. And though they're all pretty pleasant to listen to (Wood's ridiculous "The Battle of Marston Moor" notwithstanding), I feel clear distinctions between Lynne's output and Wood's. Wood's pieces, the latter of which are so obviously derivative of other musicians' work. "Look at Me Now" recalls "Eleanor Rigby" right on down to the little details -- including the minor key, the staccato quarter-note string accompaniment, the "Aah" beginning each chorus, and even the hanging melodic sixth in the verse melody. But that song is downright original in comparison with "Jumpin' Biz," which is so obviously a re-working of "Classical Gas" that one can't help but wonder about the legal implications of the similarities. Several people I've played it for actually thought it was "Classical Gas" until halfway through the piece. Wood's pieces are superficially enjoyable but such obvious derivation detracts from the listening pleasure.
Lynne's contributions are wonderful, though. He wrote five of the songs on this LP, and each is quite good. Three of them - 10538 Overture, Mr. Radio, and Queen of the Hours - are, in my view, terrific. The only real downside to his songs is that neither his singing nor the recording is as advanced as they would be on later ELO LPs. On "Nellie Takes Her Bow," for example - though quite a good song - his voice is really buzzy and distorted on the final verses. It's never been clear to me whether this is an intentional effect.
I absolutely love "Mr. Radio," with its surreal, backwards string passages, AM-static effects, and its evocation of 1920s jazz. But I probably listen to 1038 Overture and Queen of the Hours even more.
The original album's packaging also contributes to its intriguing atmosphere. Each song is illustrated by a black and white photo in old-time style, only accentuating the weird, haunted ambience of each piece.
All in all, I find myself more fascinated by this album than nearly any other ELO output, including my very favorite records among them. It's just a fascinating, surreal ride, experiencing those churning, sawing cellos, the raw production, and Jeff Lynne's stirring, infectious melodies. Highly recommended both for and despite its many idiosyncracies.